1. Defensive line. Coordinator Rob Ryan likes bigger lineman in his 3-4 scheme. The Cowboys also need playmakers at defensive end. Pro Bowl nose tackle Jay Ratliff is the best player up front, but he is undersized and has gotten worn down the past two seasons. The Cowboys would like the upgrade their line with size and versatility. Drafting a lineman who could play end and tackle would allow Ratliff to play outside and move around on occasion, if not full time.

2. Free safety. The Cowboys upgraded the secondary with the free-agent signing of cornerback Brandon Carr, but the problems in the back in the past two years—which resulted in more passing yards allowed than at any time in team history—are also due to the poor play at safety. Dallas signed free-agent free safety Brodney Pool but he is not considered a long-term option.

3. Linebacker. As the Cowboys learned from the Giants last year, you can never have too many pass rushers, so adding more players to get after the quarterback is a must even though they have the league’s best rusher in DeMarcus Ware. The situation is even more acute because Anthony Spencer has yet to give the team a viable threat opposite Ware even though he will receive $8.8 million in 2012 as the team’s franchise player.

TARGETING

The Cowboys filled a lot of must haves in free agency so they will enter the draft focusing on the best available player. Still there are positions they need to bulk up for depth purposes. Linebacker, defensive line, safety, cornerback, tight end, receiver and running back are spots the Cowboys could take players.

It is not a coincidence that the Cowboys' first pick in each of the last six drafts has been a pre-draft visitor. That is also the case for players in the middle rounds. DeCastro, Brockers, Barron, Dontari Poe and Cox are the likely first-round options at 14. Lewis could be a pass-rushing option in the second or third round. They have to take a cornerback at some point because they only have four under contract.

THE TAKE

“I think you’ve got to be willing and able to make some good, quick decisions. If the right guy is there, a guy that has equal value to the 14 pick or better value, I would submit to you we pick away. I don’t think it’s probably in the cards this time that we move up. But if the right guy is not there for the value, we’ve got to be prepared to move down." — Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones